Mr. Speaker, the Metropolitan Montreal region lacks any bypass routes, and thus thousands of vehicles, heavy trucks in particular, have to use the congested traffic arteries of Montreal Island.
According to studies, in 1998-99 metropolitan Montreal businesses lost over $500 million due to delivery delays. Judging by the way the truck traffic is building up on the Champlain and Jacques-Cartier bridges, and on Metropolitan Boulevard, by the year 2010, metropolitan Montreal will be totally choked up, and the resulting economic losses to our businesses will be enormous.
The Government of Canada has always been involved in the construction of various sections of Highway 30, and has contributed $25 million to build the Brossard-Candiac section in partnership with the Government of Quebec.
In November 2000, the Liberal Party of Canada, Quebec section, made a firm commitment to take part in the completion of this by building 14 kilometres of highway and two bridges over the St. Lawrence.
The process for making this great project a reality is in motion, and the Government of Canada intends to make this commitment a reality.